Daniel Wasson Director, Research and Curriculum Development Unit

Since joining CDHS in 1980, when the Center was still known as the Social Services Training Project, Daniel Wasson has been the moving force behind the development of a wide assortment of child welfare training materials. Previous to working at CDHS Dan had been employed as a youth project director for the Buffalo Division for Youth and then as a group home director. The insights and experiences gained firsthand in the field, coupled with his keen sense of curriculum design and development, have contributed to his distinguishing both himself and the Center in the field of child welfare training. Instrumental in the creation of training curricula that have served as benchmark models for other curricula, his expertise in this area has been a major impetus that has enabled CDHS to achieve national as well as statewide acclaim. The New York State Child Welfare/Child Protective Services Common Core Training for Caseworkers and the companion Common Core Training for Supervisors are both widely used across the state.

Under his flagship leadership the CDHS Resource and Curriculum Development unit expanded and diversified its production of training curricula to include video, multimedia, and online learning initiatives that integrate the latest technological advances into quality training modules. Working with CDHS staff and trainers, he has overseen the development of human services training materials in keeping with the most current child welfare philosophy and legal strictures. As master trainer, Dan has also developed and delivered numerous train-the-trainer offerings for CDHS trainers as well as for presentations at national level conferences and colloquiums.